Skip to main content
E
Etcho
Known Participant
October 22, 2025
Answered

Overlapping artboards are causing huge file sizes and freezing - please help!

  • October 22, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 195 views

Hi, 

I'm using the latest version of Illustrator on PC.

I have a file with a single PDF image linked (Original PDF is 24mb) approx A3 size.

I have 80 artboards (each 27 x 42mm) covering the image which all slightly overlap so that I can tile it back together after printing (actually printing each artboard to fit A3 then taping to create a 2m x 2m picture)

I am working this way because I need to have control over where each section of the image prints - traditional tile printing overlaps along the wrong lines.

There is nothing else in the image, just 1 PDF (linked not embedded) and the artboards.

 

The problem is that the file size is over 4gb! The file size was 2mb with just the linked PDF, but then jumped to 4gb once the artboards were added.

 

Turning 'PDF compatible file' off makes no difference.

 

Can someone explain this and help me work out how to reduce the file size please?

Thanks in advance 🙂

Correct answer Ton Frederiks

You can try to embed your PDF and make it a Static Symbol to reduce the file size.

2 replies

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Ton FrederiksCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
October 23, 2025

You can try to embed your PDF and make it a Static Symbol to reduce the file size.

E
EtchoAuthor
Known Participant
October 24, 2025

Thank you!! This worked ... 4gb down to 100mb!

Every day's a school day....I can't thank you enough 🙂

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 24, 2025

Good to hear that helped, when using a Static Symbol, the object is saved only once in the file and can be referenced many times.

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 23, 2025

In a PDF images are automatically embedded. I assume that your complete image is embedded in every one of your 80 pages with a clipping mask applied.

E
EtchoAuthor
Known Participant
October 24, 2025

Thank you, that's helpful to know, I tried importing the image as a .PNG instead and it shaved a bit off the file size but not much. I will experiment though in case there are other file types that work better.

I think I may put in a feature request for saving a file without individual artboard clipping masks - i.e. it just saves the location of the artboards. Thanks for your time 🙂

Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices